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Tag Archives: Freedom

These are two words that have been tremendously “buzzed” and exhausted in terms of content. Before we plunge into contemporary semantics and get lost in perspective, let’s look at their origins.

Independence comes from the 15th century French root dependre meaning “to hang from or hang down.” Freedom comes from the Old English word freogan meaning “to liberate, to rid” or to be “not in bondage.” We can easily see that both words have an underlying meaning of not being bound or to be cut loose from if bound. But to feel this type of perception we must first have or feel a condition(s) that somehow makes us feel bound, limited or restricted. We need to understand that the origins of these perceived restrictions are probably much more subtle and not easily observable when it comes to our contemporary culture and our daily attitudes in life. In our surface understanding of the words we almost invariably apply them to national concerns and then apply them to personal and social conditions. We can see them as being, essentially the same but on a different scale. The major difference between the application of their meanings is that adolescents and people who feel oppressed see them as a need defined by their personal conditions where as a politician sees them as concepts to be used to promote bondage and commitment of their constituents while quoting them in terms of the oppressed conditions to which the people are to be subjugated. This may take a bit to clarify but the dynamic, which remains the same in both cases, but is approached differently by each. Let’s first look at the similarities and origins between adolescents and oppressed peoples.

Freedom and independence have become the battle cry of every adolescent and oppressed person. We can also include persecution under the heading, however, it is an extreme of the condition but with a much deeper and more desperate motivation. I’d rather not delve into that too deeply here as there are more complicated dynamics at work than just perceived oppression or subjugation.

Let’s start with the adolescent. But to understand the adolescent perspective we must begin with their childhood. When we come into this world we learn to obey our parents as they hold the keys to all that we need: food, comfort, love and guidance. As children this is all we know as we’ve never been exposed to more. Because they provide all that we need we accept their domination in showing us what to do, how to behave, how to feel, how to think and what to expect. If we are abused by them, we still know no different as they are still the only game in town. They are our world. They are god to us. It is also during this time that we are told that there exists a deity outside the family running the show that we must also abide by. Eventually, we are told that this deity runs our parent’s show too. Based on our initial dependency on our parents and the extension of their authority into the world through aligning with a deity we now have a complete setup for external domination. The world now dictates who we should be, want, need and believe. We learn that our own feelings are not important and that it is more important how we appear to the world than how we feel or what our conditions are. Then something happens.

We begin school in the outside world. Eventually through our exposure to other children we begin to realize that not all family worlds are run the same way. Some kids have more toys than we do. Some kids are allowed out later than we are. Some parents don’t keep track of their homework and chores. We start to question why we are different from other kids. We start to wonder why they are entitled to so much more or less than we are. By the time we reach puberty this line of thinking takes off like a rocket as our hormones supercharge what we feel. We begin to rebel against our family and the world. We feel oppressed and restricted. It is this awareness that not everyone lives by the same rules and guidelines that contributes to our urge to free ourselves from circumstance that we believe curtail our energy and movement. This is where adolescents become similar to any oppressed peoples; the awareness that not everyone lives by the same rules leading us to the need to break free. But there is another belief that has subtlety and efficiently moved into place; the belief that the world determines our circumstances and not the other way around. This makes us easy pickings for any outside authority, such as government and religion, to manipulate us into conforming to whatever behavior will generate and continue their support, approval and inclusion in the national “family.” Religion goes one step further. Required behavior for their continued support and inclusion demands that we behave altruistically by committing to putting the welfare of others, mostly theirs, ahead of our own benefit. The stage is set.

Enter the media. Showing that we could be driving new cars on country roads with no traffic. Showing us how we can be “successful” people having our own business free from family, regulation and taxes. Superheroes and vigilantes defying the law “doing it their way” and becoming social heroes gaining the approval and acceptance of the “masses” while “saving the world.” “Ordinary” people acquiring money, power and command over the opposite sex confirming their worthiness and desirability simply by buying a product.

The media has capitalized tremendously on the desperate need for the love, approval and acceptance we believe we might not have received as children. We can have love, approval and acceptance simply by buying a product, taking a course, allowing financial advisement, using the right deodorant, buying the right car, using the right breath mints, wearing the right clothing. Shall I go on? Yet, there is another underlying assumption in all this externally generated push for us to buy more. It’s the allure of being unobligated to anyone else for us to be able to “find and keep” happiness.

What’s ironic is that this push for love, approval and acceptance has only made us more aware and more attentive to its absence. According to the Law of Attraction, where we put our energy (attention) only serves to feed and grow what it is we’re focusing on. So in following the commercial media, that is, watching TV with commercials, we end up feeling worse about ourselves than before we started watching.

Consider an example if you will. Statistically, and oddly enough in conjunction with the Law of Attraction, one gas station on one corner will earn a finite amount of revenue. However, if three additional gas stations occupy all four corners, the amount of revenue collected at that corner will be much more than just the sum of the four despite fears of individual competition. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The point is, added focus on gas on that corner has increased universal returns.

So, let’s now apply this law to applying our focus on being unloved, approved of or accepted. The more we feed those thoughts and feelings, the larger the perceived deficit grows. The universe says, “This is where you’re putting your energy? Then this is what I shall give you more returns on.” The universe is mindless. It simply responds to what we focus on.

Now. Let’s look at freedom and independence. The more we focus on not having them, the more the universe will bring us circumstances affirming and emphasizing what it is that we don’t have thereby confirming our belief! As we think, so we are. Whether you are religious, atheist or agnostic, you cannot deny the logic of the dynamics of energy. Those who are religious have been trained to believe that the “lord will provide.” As fatalistic as that may sound, the universe, lord, god, devil or whomever we believe is in charge will provide whatever we energize. They (those we worship, as imaginary as they may be) are only the universe operating according to the Law of Attraction. If we emphasize the need for freedom and independence, the universe will bring us more circumstances that support that need, aka, more restrictive circumstances that verify our beliefs.

So, based on this, you’re probably saying to yourself, “So what do I focus on?” The answer is simple. The law works no matter where we focus. What to do? Focus on what we do have that is working. Talk about what you can do. Talk about the things you do have that you appreciate. Talk about the things that you have that are aligned with what you want to have, be or do. This does not mean tell yourself you are rich and competent when in your heart you actually believe that you’re not. You cannot fool the universe. It resonates to what is actually in your heart and belief system. As you believe, so you are. Or, more appropriately, as you feel, so you are. If you feel that you are not confident, rather say to yourself, “I am becoming more confident every day.” In acknowledging both you are allowing the energy to flow through both. That means the having of confidence is also getting play. You’re not saying something that your mind can’t accept or won’t believe. You’re acknowledging the potential for both failure AND success. Your heart and mind can accept and believe this and the universe will support it. What you feel will manifest. It may take a little time for the “universal manager” to catch up to prior programming and arrange circumstances that will confirm your new chosen belief but it will eventually manifest as you gradually remove your resistance to its existence by terminating focusing on what you aren’t or don’t have.

In the same light, if the media you’re watching does not confirm projecting energy and focus in the direction of what you want to be, have or do…turn the channel until you can find a station that does. If you can’t find one, turn it off. Surround yourself with people that support what you’re working toward. Do NOT commiserate with others about what you don’t have. It will only serve to show the universe what you don’t want more of…and you’ll get it.

Simply put, if you focus on what you don’t have (freedom and independence), the Law of Attraction will provide you with more of the same. If you focus on what you do have (freedom and independence), the Law of Attraction will provide you with more of the same. Energy simply follows thought. It’s up to you to choose.